Cliff Lee has reached a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, pending a physical, according to multiple sources. Just hours ago it was reported that the Phillies had become serious suitors in the Lee sweepstakes after weeks of speculation focused on whether Lee would join the Yankees or remain with the Rangers. Many sources had reported that there was a mystery third team involved but few believed it to be true. MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan was the first to report the surprise signing. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the deal with the Phillies is for 5 years at approximately $20 million per year. If this is true, Lee left a lot of money on the table in order to return to the City of Brotherly Love.

Lee will join a rotation that already includes Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, and National League 2010 Cy Young Winner Roy Halladay. If all four men remain healthy, it could arguably be the best rotation in the history of Major League Baseball.

The Philadelphia Phillies, in the market for a right-handed hitting right fielder to platoon with Domonic Brown, have expressed an interest in Angels outfielder Juan Rivera, according to a major league source.

Rivera’s playing time dropped dramatically in early August after the Angels called up center fielder Peter Bourjos and moved Torii Hunter from center to right, and he would become even more of an odd man out if the Angels acquire free-agent outfielder Carl Crawford or another outfielder through a trade. Read the rest of this entry »